Will Apple Be First to Integrate Invisible Solar Charging to its Products?

There are plenty of rumors out there about new gadgets and gear and none are usually more tantalizing than those that come out around Apple. While some companies are creating solar-powered smartphone cases with extra battery power others are working on ingenious ways to incorporate solar-charging directly into a smartphone’s touchscreen surface itself. One of the most active companies in this space is Apple, which has filed numerous patents related to photovoltaic devices that could be used to power its devices—most likely phones and tablets and now some are raising speculation that as soon as 2014 it could start integrating invisible solar charging into the surface of its mobile devices.

While a solar-powered battery pack will and can work, it’s also far from an ideal solution since most devices require the user to turn the device so its back faces the sun. An external solar charger will allow users to see or interact with the screen while charging but requires carrying additional equipment. But integrating a PV cell into a device’s screen would allow users to charge the device while still using or looking at it.

Most recently a contributor to Seeking Alpha wrote a piece discussing whether or not Apple will integrate solar charging into its iPhone 6 and other devices out this year. The author, an investor named Matt Margolis cited a number of reasons Apple could introduce the technology this year in his post “Apple's Solar Powered iPhone 6 And iPod Touch Under A Sapphire Hood.”

Among the reasons, Apple has posted jobs for engineers that could be working on such a product. In addition, the company signed a $578 million contract with GT Advanced Technologies for manufacturing its Sapphire materials at Apple’s new facility in Arizona, which could serve as a replace material for the Gorilla Glass on its current iPhones—but also be integrated with PV. In addition, the Sapphire material could even be tougher than Gorilla Glass.

In making his argument Margolis references two patents Apple was granted in 2013. The first for an integrated touch sensor with solar panel configurations, which was filed last February. The second major patent was granted on Oct. 31 related to a power management system with a solar panel option, which would allow a device to safely charge the battery without adding much or more space-taking components. Another reason to support Margolis’ argument is that having the Sapphire facility on site in the U.S. as well as other manufacturing equipment that could be used for manufacturing solar onsite could all Apple to more quickly launch products for the U.S. and international markets.

Other companies are in hot pursuit of making a solar-powered smartphone with invisible PC cells as well, among them Samsung and LG. But perhaps most notable is that developed by France’s Sunpartner, called WYSIPS (What You See Is Photovoltaic Surface). As of 2011 the device almost entirely transparent and could be attached to a touchscreen device without interrupting its operating ability. That company partnered with Chinese mobile phone maker TCL Communication last summer to develop such a device.

On the other hand, this technology may not yet be ready for the commercial market. “Of all of Apple’s products, the iPhone offers some of the least surface area to work with. The latest generation of solar panels are a lot more efficient reaching close to 40 percent in the labs, but still, there’s no way that a panel the size of an iPhone screen – even the larger one we expect in the iPhone 6 – is going to power the phone on its own,” wrote 9to5Mac’s Ben Lovejoy in response to the Seeking Alpha piece. And those are the most expensive PV cells. Integrating them into a cell phone could still add a lot of cost. Ultimately it’s hard to tell whether or not these technologies will see the light of day anytime soon, but there’s always hope if not just hype.

The following system would zero out your power bill and the savings shown would be made over the life of the system

ESTIMATEDSYSTEM*

ESTIMATEDSAVINGS*

Now get live pricing!

How it works: When you enter your details we display a more detailed online estimate. We then
seek live pricing from installers for the size of system you need. Live pricing data is an installer's most
commercially sensitive information and so this is why we are required to validate your name,
address and phone number. If we cannot validate this information your estimate will only
include historical pricing from past installations.

Get Live Pricing from:
Number of Installers: 3 2 1 Historical Prices Only

* Estimates are based on standard costs for utility power and installations in your zipcode and
may vary from the detailed estimate that you will receive once you enter your contact
information below. Calculations are based on a 100% loan over 20 years, with a 25 year payback,
4.5% loan rate, and 3% per year inflation in electricity prices.

TCPA Disclosure: By clicking the above "estimate my system"
button you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy and authorize Solar-Estimate.org or our
chosen solar installer/s to use the phone number entered to verify the accuracy of the ballpark
estimate given by the site and give you an accurate quote. Some installers may use
auto-diallers or send automated text messages if they cannot contact you and these may
result in charges to you. You consent to receiving these communications even if the phone
number entered above is on the "Do not Call" register.